Grenade launching device for a firearm having a muzzle brake



Nov. 20, 1956 w. WEISS 2,770,904

GRENADE LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR A FIREARM HAVING A MUZZLE BRAKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1951 MIVH/TOR W/LL/ 14/5/56,

ATTORNEY W. WEISS Nov. 20, 1956 GRENADE LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR A FIREARM HAVING A MUZZLE BRAKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1951 A TTORNEY GRENADE LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR A FIREARM HAVING A MUZZLE 1". r

Willi Weiss, Vernier par Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Brevets Aero-Mecaniques, S. A., Geneva, Switzerland, a society of Switzerland The present invention relates to self-loading firearms provided with a muzzle brake. The expression selfloading includes automatic firearms which keep firing as long as the trigger is not released, semi-automatic firearms which require a separate pull of the trigger for each shot, and firearms capable, by adjustment of an element thereof, of operating either in automatic or in semiautomatic fashion. The firearms of these types with which my invention is concerned include muzzle brakes, i. e. recoil devices fixed to the gun muzzle and making use of the reaction produced by the discharge of a part of the muzzle blast through rearwardly directed ports.

The object of my invention is to make use of such firearms for launching grenades.

My invention consists essentially in providing the system constituted by such an anti and a grenade, including the device for transmitting to said grenade the propelling action of the powder gases, with means for temporarily stopping, at least partly, the discharge ports of the muzzle brake.

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 of these drawings show, respectively in elevation with parts in section and in section on the line IIH of Fig. 1, the end of the barrel of a muzzle brake automatic firearm made according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view with parts in section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 shows, in elevation with parts in section, a muzzle brake automatic firearm provided with a grenade, this structure being made according to an embodiment of the invention diiferent from the preceding ones.

The Object of my invention is to provide a structure capable of operating at will either for firing the usual cartridge projectiles or for launching grenades.

This structure includes a self-loading firearm provided, at the front end of its barrel 1, with a muzzle brake 2, preferably of cylindrical outer shape, in the wall of which are provided discharge ports 3 for the outflow of the gases.

Now, according to the main feature of the invention, means are provided for temporarily stopping ports 3 at least partly (and preferably wholly), whereby the muzzle brake can be made at least partly inoperative when it is desired to make use of the firearm for launching grenades.

It will first be supposed by way of example, that the grenades are to be launched by means of a removable grenade launching extension constituted, for instance, by a tubular element 4 on which can be engaged with a sliding fit a sleeve 5 forming a rear extension of the body 6 of the grenade, as shown by Fig. 3.

In this Way I can obtain, in the grenade launching extension 4, When a launching cartridge is fired, a gas pressure suflicient to give the grenade the desired initial 2,770,904 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 velocity, which would of course not be possible if ports 3 remained open.

On the other hand, in view of the fact that the recoil reaction of a launching cartridge is substantially lower than the recoil reaction produced by the firing of a normal shell, it might be feared, on first sight, that the recoil stroke will be reduced and some automatic operations of the firearm will not take place satisfactorily.

But, as a matter of fact, the muzzle brake, the normal function of which is to reduce the recoil stroke of the firearm, is made inoperative just when the recoil stroke risks being too small.

This neutralizing of the muzzle brake, which is necessary to make it possible to obtain the desired pressure in the grenade launching extension, is therefore advantageous from another point of view since it makes it possible to obtain, despite the reduced recoil reaction, a recoil stroke of the firearm of approximately the same value as that existing during automatic firing.

Thus the operation of the breech mechanism will not be disturbed and, after every grenade launching, recocking takes place automatically. It will therefore be possible, when launching a succession of grenades, to achieve a rate of fire much higher than if the firearm had to be recocked after every launching.

Concerning now the specific means which are to make it possible temporarily to stop ports 3, they might first be constituted, for instance, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, by permanently fitting on muzzle brake 2 a closure device, for instance a rotary one 7 and it will suflice to place it in closed position for launching grenades, whereas it is in open position (its orifices 8 being in register with ports 3) for automatic firing (position shown in Figs. 1 and 2).

However, it seems preferable, as shown by Fig. 3, to constitute the stopping device in question by a sleeve 7a rigid with the grenade launching extension 4 and located at the rear thereof, this sleeve being capable, when said extension 4 is secured in position, of surrounding the apertured portion of the muzzle brake 2 and thus of stopping ports 3.

For this purpose, for instance, I may, as shown by Fig. 3, connect sleeve 7a with the grenade launching extension 4 through an intermediate support 9 acting also as an element for securing the device to the muzzle brake, fixation being ensured for instance by screwing of support 9 on threaded parts 10 integral with muzzle brake 2.

It should be noted that sleeve 7a, fixation support 9 and extension 4 might be cast in a single piece.

Anyway, such stopping means, while being very simple, have the advantage of being always in suitable position when necessary, i. e. when grenades are to be launched, since the fitting of the grenade launching extension on the firearm, which is necessary for this launching, automatically causes ports 3 to be stopped by sleeve 7a. With stopping means of this type, there is no risk of launching a grenade with ports 3 open.

But I may also, according to a modification, dispense with the grenade launching extension by engaging the grenade directly on the end of the arm, in which case, as shown by Fig. 4, the means for temporarily bringing the nozzle brake 2 out of operation are constituted by a sleeve 5a extending rearwardly from the body 6 of the grenade, said sleeve coming, when the grenade is fitted in launching position, to engage muzzle brake 2 with a sliding fit so as to stop the ports 3 thereof.

Therefore, the internal diameter of sleeve 5a must be very slightly larger than the external diameter of muzzle brake 2; said sleeve may be of the same diameter over its Whole length or, as shown by Fig. 4, it may be larger at the rear so as to be able to fit on said muzzle brake.

Anyway, I am sure to obtain, on the bottom of sleeve 5a, when a launching cartridge is fired, a pressure sufficient for imparting the desired initial velocity to the grenade, which would obviously not be the case if ports 3 remained open. t

It should be noted that sleeve 5a, or at least the rear portion of this sleeve which is directly exposed to the pressure of the gases acting through ports 3, must be made suificiently strong to resist the bursting action of said gases when a grenade is being launched.

It is therefore necessary to make sleeve 5a, at least in its rear portion, stronger than the sleeves of grenades as designed up to now to be launched by means of a launching extension playing the part of intermediate element interposed between the barrel and the grenade.

Finally, it should be noted that the weight of the grenade and the distance at which it can be thrown are much higher than the corresponding values obtained with grenades launched by means of mere rifles and it should be noted that these improved results are not the mere consequence of the transposition of known solutions to firearms of a bore higher than that of grenade launching rifles, for it was necessary to provide, according to the main feature of the present invention, a temporary neutralizing of the muzzle brake for launching grenades.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efficient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the princi- 4 i ple of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claim.

What I claim is:

In combination, an automatic firearm having :a barrel, a muzzle brake mounted on said barrel at the extremity thereof, said muzzle brake comprising a plurality of discharge ports, a tubular member associated with a grenade to be launched at least at the time of positioning and References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,308 Voorhis i. Feb. 28, 1911 1,900,790 Brandt Mar. 7, 1933 2,094,305 Savani Sept. 28, 1937 2,339,285 Moore Jan. 18, 1944 2,432,539 Olsen Dec. 16, 1947 2,564,684 Garand Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 4 GreatBritain Sept. 20, 1917 

